FIN 5380 680: International Finance

Prerequisite

According to the TAMIU Catalog, there are no prerequisites for this course. This course is an elective course for the MBA program with a concentration in finance. 

AI Statement

Please note that generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are NOT allowed for this course; the only exception is that you can only use AI to help you polish or copy-edit your complete manuscript.

Course Goal

This course provides a comprehensive macroeconomic study of exchange rate determination, exchange rate mechanisms and markets, international parity relationships, the forecasting of exchange rates and measurement of exchange rate exposure, and international trade financing.

Upon successful completion of this course, each student will:

• CO1: Describe the globalization process and the rationale behind the existence of multinational companies.

• CO2: Interpret the relation between trade, international flow of funds, and exchange rates. 

• CO3: Apply strategies to currency risk management using derivatives.

• CO4: Interpret the relation between international arbitrage, interest rates, inflation, and exchange rates.

• CO5: Calculate forecasted exchange rates for a firm operating in different countries.

• CO6: Compare firms using capital and debt domestically with firms using economic resources in different currencies.

Curriculum Objectives Targeted:

• Exhibit competence in the basic knowledge of how international finance in organizations operating in different countries helps improve operations, reduce cost, enhance efficiency, and promote a better strategic position.
• Discuss why a firm decides to operate in different countries and the relationship between labor, materials, and cost of financing sources.  
• Interpret the importance of interest rates, exchange rates, international financial markets, and trade for a multinational firm.

Additional Required Documents/Subscriptions 

• During the course, your professor will assign one multinational firm to you. You are obligated to download the latest three years of SEC 10K to understand your case’s particular international financial operations. You must visit your firm's official web page and look at the investor relations link.

• Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor: The annual subscription to the Respondus Monitor costs $15. The cost information is available at https://www.tamiu.edu/distance/technology/test-proctoring-and-security.shtml.

Additional Guidance of the Required Textbook

• You can acquire the book in different formats, such as rent, online, or hard copy. There is no restriction in the format of acquisition.

• This textbook covers the most important financial management topics for multinational firms operating in different countries. Understanding the globalization process and the integration of financial markets globally is important. Free trade agreements are the foundations for this process. It is important to see how countries can manipulate currencies through interest rates, inflation, and trade. The book covers the essential foundations regarding international financial markets, currencies, and interest rates to apply for a multinational firm. 

Other Optional Academic Resources

These books are recommended if you want to explore additional concepts and enhance your learning experience. Besides, these references are going to help you with your graduate business program.

• Financial Management: Theory and Practice. 15^th Edition by Eugene Brigham and Michael Ehrhardt. ISBN-13: 978-1-305-63229-5. Cengage.

  • This book can help you understand the firm’s financial foundations, which operate in “local” and not in a multinational environment. Concepts of diversification, capital structure, and governance are used to understand a firm’s operations exposed to just one economy. Basic concepts, such as risk, return, and capital structure, are covered for a local firm.

  • If you feel that you require additional assistance in any topic’s foundations throughout the course, this textbook will support you in almost any topic covered in this course. The course alignment file will guide you for each module, with each specific learning objective in relation to this optional book. This optional book will create much better topic foundations in almost all modules.

• Financial Reporting Analysis Using Financial Accounting Information. 13^th Edition by Charles Gibson. ISBN-10: 1-133-18879-6. ISBN-13: 978-1-133-18879-7. Thomson.

  • This book provides the basics and foundations to analyze any firm; it explains the four major financial statements and financial ratios. This book is highly recommended when the student needs additional explanations regarding the statements and ratio analysis. This book can help you better understand how the firm releases financial information and access important information regarding the annual reports and the SEC 10K forms.

  • Suppose you require additional assistance in the foundations of reading, accessing, and understanding the SEC 10K form format. This textbook will help you discover more information about your firm in the SEC 10K. This optional book will create much better topic foundations in almost all modules. 

To go to the bookstore, click here.

Grading Policy:

All requests regarding course record corrections (e.g., exams, discussions, and case reports) submitted in a written or typed with a signature form to the instructor within three (3) calendar days after graded materials were handed back, reviewed, and/or after grades have been posted on Blackboard System. In your re-grading request, you must clearly specify where and why you think you were graded incorrectly. Then, the entire work will be considered to be re-graded; that is, the new grade may be lower than the original grade. After that time, all grades and records become final. Please note that all changes are at the sole discretion of the instructor.

Students must complete all requirements in “Module 0,” stated in this syllabus, before the deadline. No completion on time will result in no grades for the entire course.

Activities, Tasks, Exams, and Grades:

We will have 7 Case Reports, 7 Discussion Forums, and 3 Exams. The total points for each category are shown below.

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
ACTIVITY/TASK CATEGORY	TOTAL POINTS
Case Reports (*7)	400 Points (40%)
Discussion Forums (*7)	200 Points (20%)
Exams (*3)	400 Points (40%)

In detail, the points of each task (in the order of the deadline times) are tabulated as follows.

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
ACTIVITY/TASK	POINTS
Discussion Forum 1	28.5714
Case Report 1	57.1428
Discussion Forum 2	28.5714
Case Report 2	57.1428
Discussion Forum 3	28.5714
Case Report 3	57.1428
Exam 1	133.3333
Discussion Forum 4	28.5714
Case Report 4	57.1428
Discussion Forum 5	28.5714
Case Report 5	57.1428
Exam 2	133.3333
Discussion Forum 6	28.5714
Case Report 6	57.1428
Discussion Forum 7	28.5714
Case Report 7	57.1428
Exam 3 (Final Exam)	133.3333

 * Each week or Module, there is something to do. I do not accept late work. Late work will be graded at zero points.

* The rounding errors in the above table will be taken care of by the instructor at the end of the semester.

Semester Grade: Grading Scale

Grading Policies

Grade	Value
GRADE	PERCENTAGE
A	90-100%
B	80-89.99%
C	70-79.99%
D	60-69.99%
F	Below 60

Summary:

This course’s assessment process will be divided into three (3) exams, seven (7) weekly case reports, and seven (7) discussion forums. Exams (E), Case Reports (CR), and Discussion Forums (DF) are worth 1000 points in total. The final course grade is calculated based on weighted percentages per assessment/category. For example, a student with 300, 150, and 350 accumulated points for E, CR, and DF, respectively, will earn 800 (300+150+350) points in total, which is equivalent to 80% out of the 100%, the final grade, in this case, will be “B.” 

Other Grading Policy:

The instructor reserves the right to add or subtract as much as 10% of the total semester grade based on your online attendance, participation, and communications throughout the course (a neutral performance will lead to no adjustment at all). Please be aware that getting failed (F) is definite if the total grade is below 60. Based on the university’s regulations, nobody has the opportunity to do extra work, such as additional exams or assignments, to improve the student’s grade.

Negative factors to your attendance, participation, and communications include, but are not limited to the examples as follows: asking for re-grading your tasks but not following the re-grading policy stated in the syllabus (such as longer than the regulated three calendar days or do not provide written document); an ungrounded complaint to the instructor/course /program/university; asking for exceptions or extensions of the tasks or exams; asking questions by wishing to violate the policies on the syllabus or regulated by the university; making unreasonable excuses to search for the privilege, an exception, or extra credits; making a request by ignoring/neglecting the policies on the syllabus; making an excuse to search for a possible makeup or late exam/assignment/discussion; ill-disciplined in email conversations; etc. Please note that such negative factors may affect as much as a reduction of 10% of your total semester grade, depending solely on the instructor’s discretion. If the negative factor is as severe as a violation of the Student’s Handbook or involves academic dishonesty, a formal report to the university will be made, and the instructor will follow the university’s regulations, not only deducting 10 percent from the total grade.

Students struggling with course materials are strongly recommended to contact the instructor immediately. Please do not start to contact the instructor around or after the Final Exam or just before the end of the semester because the instructor can do nothing with the grades then.

Exams

The available time windows for Exams are stated in the syllabus calendar. No late submission is allowed. Exams will be open-ended or multiple-choice. A calculator will be required to perform some calculations. All answers will be graded according to the material, and all answers count the same. For example, if the exam requires 60 questions or problems to answer, each answer will count as a 100% full grade divided by 60 questions, which equals 1.667% out of 100%. The time required for each exam will vary because it will require answering open questions sometimes, but you should expect to block a minimum of 120 consecutive minutes. Once you start the exam, it cannot be paused or aborted; you must finish it. Exam results will be released within a week after the due date. See the schedule table to know exactly the chapters covered for each exam.

• Exam 1 will include Modules 1, 2, and 3.
• Exam 2 will include Modules 4 and 5.
• Exam 3 will include Modules 1 to 7.

Exam Policies and Specifics:

• During the exam, you only can use a calculator (financial/scientific/traditional), pens/pencils, and blank paper.
• You need a webcam and a valid photo ID and have to take the exam individually in a quiet room with all your smart devices off. The desk and area should be clear. The webcam, speakers, and microphone must remain on throughout the test.
• Once you start the exam, it cannot be paused or aborted; you must finish the exam. You cannot leave your seat for any reason (including using a bathroom) during the exam. The webcam must be able to take your image for the duration of the test.
• You only have one chance to take each exam. No makeup will be given under any excuse.
• You cannot refer to any materials during the exam, no matter it is hard-, soft-copied, or on the Internet. No “cheat sheets” are allowed in the exam.
• No laptops, tablets, smart devices (including smartwatches and glasses), cell phones, or other electronic devices are allowed except for calculators. No graphing calculators are allowed.
• All of the exams are individual work. You cannot discuss or communicate with anybody using any method.
• The Internet and computer (Windows or Mac) are only for you to take the exam, not for you to check, search, or communicate. No dual monitors are allowed.
• No Internet use, messaging, chatting, discussing, emailing, any type of reference, or any communication methods are allowed during the exam.
• The Respondus Monitor must clearly record your video and audio for the entire duration of the exam. The instructor will carefully check the recordings. Any doubts or flags will be strictly recognized as cheating, according to the Student Handbook. See the section of “TAMIU Honor Code: Plagiarism and Cheating” in this syllabus.
• No submission or late submission will result in zero points on the exam.

Policies on Exams and Proctoring:

You must use a recent computer laptop or desktop (not older than five years) with Windows, Mac, or Chromebook operating system installed, with high-speed and stable Internet access, speakers, microphone, and webcam. You cannot use an iPad, tablet, or smart device for the exam. Also, you should use the Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor with a valid subscription to take exams.

Please follow all of the proctoring processes below when using the Respondus Monitor:

After typing the password given by the instructor on the LockDown Browser, the system will ask you to do some steps:

STEP 1: TERMS OF USE

STEP 2: WEBCAM CHECK

• Adjust the camera so your image appears properly in the window. While speaking in your normal voice, click “Record Five Second Video.”

STEP 3: ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS

• During this exam, you shouldn’t access other resources (a phone, tablet, soft-copied notes, and books, etc.) or communicate with other people. Please stay in your seat and focus on the computer screen until the exam is complete. If an interruption occurs, briefly explain what happened by speaking directly to your webcam. (All kinds of the interruption are not excuses to make up or to extend time.) Finally, remember that you cannot exit the exam until all questions are completed and submitted for grading.

STEP 4: GUIDELINES + TIPS

• Select a quiet location where you won’t be interrupted or distracted.

  • Avoid rooms where children or other people are present.

  • Turn off televisions, radio, music, etc.

• Make sure your internet connection is consistent and strong.

  • Run the “Webcam Check” and “System & Network Check” in LockDown Browser prior to starting the exam.

  • If your Internet is shared with others, make sure they aren’t streaming videos or using applications that can slow down your internet connection.

• Place your computer or device on a flat, hard surface such as a table or desk, and sit in a chair during the exam.

  • Do NOT place the computer on your lap, a bed, or the floor. Do NOT lay or sit on a bed/couch/floor.

  • If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen after the webcam setup is complete.

• To improve the quality of your webcam video (and reduce flags), remember the following.

  • Don’t wear sunglasses or hats with brims. Also, be sure to dress appropriately, as if you were in the classroom.

  • Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window.

• Other things to remember:

  • Unless instructed otherwise, turn off all other devices (e.g., phones, tablets, second computers) and place them outside of your reach. Clear your workspace of all other materials.

  • LockDown Browser prevents you from accessing other websites or applications. You will be unable to exit until the exam is completed and submitted.

STEP 5: STUDENT PHOTO

STEP 6: SHOW ID

• Hold your identification to the camera and select “Take Picture.” (The type of identification includes the driver’s license, the passport, the student ID with a clear photo).

STEP 7: ENVIRONMENT CHECK

• Make sure the area around your computer is clear of smart devices, phones, etc.

• Click “Start Recording” and slowly tilt/pan your webcam so a brief video can be made of the area around your computer. (If the webcam is built into the monitor, just do your best to show the surrounding area.)

STEP 8: FACIAL DETECTION CHECK

• Your face needs to be well-positioned in the video window and clearly visible during the exam. You may proceed once facial detection is successful.

Notice: All exams are online and require connectivity and a stable, high-speed network connection. Please be sure that you plan ahead before taking the exam to avoid any problems regarding system failure, network errors, webcam failures, or any other problems during the exam. No makeup exams will be provided because of the abovementioned issues or under any excuse.

Weekly Case Reports

All case reports are individual. You will be assigned to one public-traded firm in one of the major financial markets. Below are the instructions:

1. You will be assigned to one public firm during the semester. The details are stated in the syllabus calendar and announced in the first week of the course.
2. You must visit the company’s official web page to download the latest 3 SEC Fillings 10K Reports. You must download the pdf files from the last 3 years. 
3. Inside the SEC 10K Annual Reports, you must read the sections related to Part 1. Business Descriptions and Risk Factors. Part 2. Selected Financial Data and Management’s Discussion and Analysis. Part 4. Financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements.
4. As described in the syllabus calendar, there are some topics and chapters to read each week. For example, Module 1, which represents the first week of the course, covers chapters 1 and 2 in your textbook. You must read all these chapters.
5. After reading the SEC 10K files from your firm and the related chapters for the week, you will write the weekly case report. Below are the content and requisites for the report.

Guidance for Preparing and Submitting Case Reports

There are a total of 7 Weekly Case Reports. All reports are individual work. Here is important guidance for preparing and submitting Case Reports.

1. Each week or each module will be devoted to some chapters from the textbook. See the syllabus calendar to understand the chapters per week or module. You must summarize the chapters covered during the week in 2 pages. You must describe in your own words the most important concepts and examples described in each chapter during the module of the week. Each week, you must summarize the chapters related to the module in 2 pages.
2. Additionally, in at least ½ page, you must describe the application of the related chapters in your textbooks using your case company as a context. Application means that you must relate the chapters with your case company operations. For example, if the chapter is related to interest rates or receivables, you must describe everything related to both concepts in this module’s contents.
3. As you notice then, each weekly case report must have a minimum of 2½ pages. 2 pages are related to the chapters covered during the week, and ½ page is related to the application of the concept described in those chapters.
4. Copying any text, table, image, picture, or material from any outside document is prohibited; you must be the original author of all pages. Quotations are strictly prohibited; this is not an essay or paper; this is a Case Report. The 2½ pages must be 100% from you as the original author. Please note that generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are NOT allowed to help you write the reports; the only exception is that you can only use AI to help you polish or copy-edit your complete manuscript. See the Plagiarism section below.
5. All files of Reports must pass the SAFE ASSIGN TOOL NO MORE THAN 10% SIMILARITY SCORE.
   • Visit the following page if you need to learn more about the Safe Assign Tool: http://www.tamiu.edu/distance/students/elearning-orientation.shtml, or contact the e-learning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.
   • Your assignments must pass the originality report with a similarity score lower than 10%. If your file is above the 10% limit, you can modify and resubmit until it is lower than 10% before the deadline. You cannot copy sections from your previous reports or use paragraphs from your previous case reports. Each case report is completely different.
   • Your grade will be zero if your Case Report is above the 10% similarity score maximum accepted level. Please avoid any additional complaints if you have above 10% and then receive a zero grade in your reports.
   • You will have the opportunity to reduce your similarity score as long as the submission is available; sometimes, submitting the file several times will be required to reach below the 10% permitted. Please resubmit your assignments before the due time. An attempt to reduce the similarity score is not an excuse for the late submission.
6. Each Case Report will be turned in using the designated dropbox in the Blackboard system. Only Blackboard submissions to the assigned page before the deadline time are accepted unless the instructor indicates otherwise. No email or hard-copy submission is allowed. You cannot submit it after the deadline stated in the syllabus calendar. Submission on time is critical and is the student’s responsibility. No late submissions are accepted. Late work equals zero.
7. The Reports’ format is Letter- or A4-sized, portrait, with “Moderate” margins in Word, 12-point Times New Roman fonts, and 1.5 line spacing. Please type in academic English with the appropriate formats, punctuations, paragraphs, and correct grammar and spelling. Plagiarism is absolutely prohibited. Please pick any style you like (such as MLA) and stick to it about the citation style. That is, all of your reports' citations should be consistent. In brief, keep your work “professional.”

The general rubrics to evaluate weekly case reports will be provided in an independent file.

Discussion Forums

All discussion forums are different, so you cannot copy or use sections from your case reports to make your discussion forums. One way to enhance the learning experience is by using discussion forums. For example, suppose you know the importance of interest rates, currencies, or economies of the operating countries for your firm. In that case, you may want to know these variables with other firms within the industry (competitors) or different sectors. You can ask your cohorts because they will have firms within or in different sectors. Discussion forums simulate classroom experience and require you to interact with your colleagues using your experience and knowledge from your case firm. We will have one weekly discussion question, and your professor can enhance the discussion using additional real-case examples. You must answer the question from your case company and comment with at least two of your colleagues’ answers weekly.

The deadlines for posting your initial response (first post) and commenting on two classmates’ posts are stated in the syllabus calendar. Late responses will not be counted toward your grade, resulting in zero points for that activity.

Mechanics of Discussion Forum:

We are going to explore one question per Week (Module) and two comments in two different cases (or colleagues) per Module (Week). Questions are related to your own case company. See below the questions that we are going to explore every week.

We assume that your firm is U.S.-based and has business operations outside the United States for all the questions below. (If there is any inconsistency between the course instruction pages and here in the syllabus, the course instruction pages shall prevail)

1. Module 1: Identify how your firm produces cash flows using trade, licensing, franchising, joint ventures, or foreign investments; then describe the implications of the Balance of Payment of the U.S. resulting from this relationship. For example, if your firm earns cash flows from Mexico due to franchising, what would be the implications for the U.S. Balance of Payments?
2. Module 2: Identify the countries and the currencies where your firm operates and has business relationships, and describe in which international financial markets your firm should have operations. Select at least two countries to describe the inflation and interest rates that will help you calculate the exchange rates for these two countries.
3. Module 3: One tool to manage risk inside the organization is the use of derivatives. Read the SEC 10K (section notes to the consolidated statements) and describe the type of derivatives and the reasons for use. Describe in which particular currencies your firm is using to hedge.
4. Module 4: Identify how your firm can produce triangular arbitrage using the answers in the previous modules and identify how these currencies are affected by the PPP and IFE theories.
5. Module 5: Describe in which currencies your firm is probably forecasting exchange rates; support your answer with the type of operations and investments in which your firm is related to different currencies. Describe the type of forecasting that your firm is probably using.
6. Module 6: According to the answers in your previous modules, select at least 3 countries where you think that your firm is exposed to more risk; also, explain how your firm can mitigate such country risk.
7. Module 7: Describe the list of different debentures that your firm is exposed to. Also, describe the related currencies. See SEC 10K section notes to the consolidated financials.

Requisites for the Discussion Forum:

1. Each student must be required to answer the question per week, using the case semester firm as a context.
2. Each student must comment on at least two colleagues or cases about their answers for their case firms.
3. You must answer your question before the deadline stated in the syllabus calendar.
4. You must comment on two of your colleague’s answers before the deadline stated in the syllabus calendar. Your answers and comments must be individual. You must be the author. Citing text, images, or any other type of file is prohibited.
5. Late answers or late comments are not accepted. If this is the case, your grade is going to be zero.

Other Instructions for the Discussion Forum:

1. The general rubrics to evaluate discussion forums will be provided in an independent file.
2. It will help if you read the Netiquette rules. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

Late Work Policy

Because the advance notice of the work schedule is provided in this syllabus, there will be no alternate times for all tasks, including exams, discussion forums, and case reports. Furthermore, no makeup will be given. You must take all tasks when they are scheduled. If you miss it, you will receive a grade of “0”, with no exceptions. 

Important Notes to the Course Calendar

• All of the time zones used in this course are in Central Time (CT) in the United States.

• The due time and cutoff time for all modules, reports, and discussions are at Noon (CT) (NOT midnight) unless stated otherwise explicitly. For example, the deadline time for “Module 0” is Noon (Central Time) on January 24, NOT 11:59 PM (or midnight or the end of) on January 24.

• @ All Case Summary Reports are due at Noon (CT) on the last day of that module (in most cases, Monday).
• & Deadline times for Discussion Forums: Please post your initial response (first post) by Thursday Noon (CT) of the corresponding week, and comment on the posts of two classmates by the last day of that module (in most cases, Monday) no later than Noon (CT).
• * Exam Availablity Schedule: Please “finish and submit” (not “enter”) the exams before the specified deadline times.

1. Exam 1 will be available on the entire day of February 10, from midnight to midnight. Please submit it before 11:59:00 PM (CT) on February 10.
2. Exam 2 will be available on the entire day of February 24, from midnight to midnight. Please submit it before 11:59:00 PM (CT) on February 24.
3. The Final Exam, which is Exam 3, follows the University’s official schedule and will be available only on the entire day of March 8, from midnight to midnight. Please make sure to take the Final Exam at this specific time and submit it before 11:59:00 PM (CT) on March 8.

• $ Please note that the last week (Module 7) ends on the last day of the course (March 8), not on Monday.

Online Courses and On-Campus Meetings

Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter J, Section 2.202, defines distance education as the formal educational process that occurs when students and instructors are not in the same physical setting for the majority (more than 50%) of instruction. Distance education includes hybrid and 100% online courses and programs as defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB):

• Hybrid Course - A distance education course in which more than 50 percent but less than 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations.
• 100-Percent Online Course - A distance education course in which 100 percent of instructional activity takes place when the student(s) and instructor(s) are in separate physical locations. Requirements for on-campus or in-person orientation, testing, academic support services, internships/fieldwork, or other non-instructional activities do not exclude a course from this category.

In this online course, be sure to confirm what in-person meetings may be required of you (if applicable).

 

Course Structure

Teaching Methodology:

This course was designed to be fully online, so you must have the self-study discipline to complete it. This course requires you to read and perform several activities every week. Reading and understanding the chapters is crucial to applying the concepts to one real case later.

Discussion forums will help you better understand the operational part of different types of businesses; it is like having specific experience from different firms operating in various industries. During this course, you are going to be exposed to understand and assimilate the concepts reading from the textbooks and also, at the same time, to develop the application into one multinational publicly-traded firm in financial markets.

General Expectations and Responsibility for This Course:

Online courses require several skills from the student because almost everything will be conducted remotely. Students must have honesty, self-motivation, care, duty, and the ability to use technology to enhance the learning experience.

This course is mixed with qualitative and quantitative information use compared with most graduate courses. Thus, students must have the ability to understand the concept and are required to see the application using real-world business cases in almost every module. Reading the modules every week, watching the assigned videos, completing the weekly case reports, discussing in the forum, and taking exams on time are major responsibilities during this course.

Every week, you must produce one business case report summarizing the related chapters and the practical applications to your case company. Also, discussion forums will help you see your own business case questions and understand the material using different cases and businesses (learning from your colleagues) that will reinforce your learning experience.

Each student will work with a different business case during the semester, so you will be exposed to almost all industries and types of firms when you interact using discussion forums.

Finally, exams will be related to applying some concepts using real financial data from your firm.

Other Very Important Suggestions About This MBA Program And This Course:

This seven-week course covers material normally covered in the entire semester, so even though it is adjusted, be prepared to work hard. Your professor will guarantee all the high-quality standards required for an MBA course. Thus, here are some suggestions that may be helpful:

• Be organized: You will be the one who controls your schedule. Thus, it is very important that you know about the due dates of assignments and stay tuned for the announcements that are posted on Blackboard.
• Check your e-mail regularly: new announcements on Blackboard will also be sent by e-mail.
• Separate a time each day to study the material: It may be challenging to study for 3 or more hours a day, especially for full-time employed students, but if you read the textbook by referring to the slides simultaneously, I can guarantee you will succeed in this course.
• Do not let the material accumulate: in a single week, many materials with extensive content will be covered, so make sure that you keep up with the class. It is an effort that has to be done, but remember, it is just for 7 weeks!
• Be comfortable working online: this is an online course, and some of us may feel challenged in this new environment, so make sure you have access to a computer, a stable internet connection, and, if possible, a quiet space to study. Assignments, exams, and classes will require you to be familiar with them.
• Seek help immediately: If you are struggling with something, let your professor or academic adviser know about it as soon as possible. Because this is a seven-week course, solving your doubts as early as possible is a key factor to succeed, as new chapters will require previous knowledge. Thus, take advantage of office hours and e-mails or schedule a meeting with your professor on a day/time more convenient for both of you.
• Student Advising: The ARSSB has a team of strong graduate advisers to help and support our graduate students. If you have any questions about studying, such as time management, the effort required by the course, a balanced life between a full-time professional and a committed MBA student, or any other, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your adviser. Please see https://www.tamiu.edu/arssb/advising.shtml for more details.
• Course Materials and Application: Based on our student population and background, some parts of the courses (especially the beginning) may focus more on qualitative introduction and analysis. If you have a strong academic knowledge or industry background in finance and you are looking for more professional and quantitative material or resources, please contact your professor and adviser. They will be able to instruct you on how to have access to more challenging and advanced material.

Course Prerequisite Skills

This is an applied course where you must understand the concepts and apply the techniques learned to develop problem-solving skills. Thus, before you start the first module of this course, please make sure that you are familiar with some mathematical skills, such as:

• High school and middle school math.
• The basic knowledge of the time value of money and interest compounding.
• The basic knowledge of fundamental financial accounting: four financial statements and their meanings.
• Critical thinking and analysis.

If you are unfamiliar with these skills, I strongly recommend you seek help from your professor or graduate adviser at the beginning of the course (right away in the first week).

Student-Instructor Communication Policy and Response Time

Announcements/Course Messages/Emails

• Emails: To give you the feedback you need, please include all your information, course number, and email to reach you. This method is the first, most important, and fastest way to respond or give feedback, and I will reply faster than the other formats. Please make an appointment in advance if you need an online meeting during office hours. I will respond within 24 hours on weekdays and 72 hours on weekends and holidays.

• Course Messages: Please DO NOT use Course Messages or leave messages on the Discussion Forum to contact me.

• The instructor will use Blackboard announcements and email to communicate everything, such as the deadline times and new policies. Please check our Blackboard page and your Dusty email account routinely and frequently (say, at least once daily) for the entire semester.
• Making phone calls to the instructor is only for extreme emergencies and is otherwise strongly discouraged because it tends to be unclear and creates misunderstandings. Instead, a virtual meeting with the webcam and microphone on is preferred other than email communications. Please make an appointment by emailing me your available time and the brief reason for the virtual meeting, and I will send you the link to the virtual meeting.

Assignments and Assessments

• All weeks end at the designated day and time mentioned in a later section, which means you must turn in your summary case reports, exams, or forum discussions before this cutoff deadline time. The deadline times are stated in this syllabus's Course Calendar or Blackboard/e-mail announcements. Please always get informed of the latest information and due times and turn in your tasks on time. Grades are going to be released no more than a week after the closing hour.  
• Re-Grading Policy: You will have the right during the three calendar days that your grade was released to ask for additional feedback or if you have any discrepancy regarding your grade. All requests regarding course record corrections (e.g., exams, discussions, and assignments) should be submitted in a written or typed with a signature form to the instructor within three (3) calendar days after graded materials were handed back, reviewed and/or after grades have been posted on Blackboard System. You must clearly specify where and why you think you were graded incorrectly in your re-grading request. Then, the entire work will be considered re-graded; the new grade may be lower than the original. After that time, all grades and records become final. Please note that all changes are at the sole discretion of the instructor. After three calendar days, if there is no complaint about your grade, I will consider the grade to be accepted. No further changes will be allowed. For the Final Exam, this available time window for the re-grading requests is decreased to 24 hours after the release of the grades of the Final Exam since the university asks all faculty to submit the total grades very shortly.

  

Course Communication Guidelines (Netiquette)

There are course expectations concerning etiquette or how we should treat each other online. We must consider these values as we communicate with one another. Visit Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ web page on Netiquette for further instruction.

Online courses require interactions between the students and the professor in every module. If you need assistance directly from your professor, please send an email. Also, discussion forums are open to all students, so be careful if you want to post something not required to be known by every student. If you have something urgent or essential to discuss with your professor, email me to schedule an online meeting, and I will contact you as soon as possible. 

Accommodations/Accessibility Policy

Texas A&M International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodation for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with the Director of Student Counseling and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodation. For more information, contact the online at Office of Disability Services for Students (DSS), via phone at 956.326.3086 or by visiting the staff at the Student Center, room 118. A link to the Disabilities Services for Students site has also been included under the "Resources" tab inside the course.

Student Support Resources

The University wishes to have all students succeed in their courses. To provide support to our students, an array of services in the areas of technology support, academic support, student support, and accessibility support may be found at the University. For more information, visit the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services page on University Resources and Support Services.

Computer/Technology Requirements

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Online students will need regular access to a personal computer that runs on a broadband Internet connection.

It is recommended that you meet the technical requirements listed on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage when using the learning management system (LMS) of the University.

Hardware:

For this class, you will need the following hardware: You must own a recent computer laptop or desktop (not older than five years) with Windows, Mac, or Chromebook operating system installed, with high-speed and stable Internet access, speakers, microphone, and webcam. An iPad, tablet, or smart device is not a substitute for a computer. 

NOTE: Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services may check out available webcams to students on a first-come, first-served basis. To check out a webcam, please stop by Killam Library, Room 259, and request an available webcam.

Required Software and Services Subscriptions:

You need to install the Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor to take exams. Students must subscribe to Respondus LockDown Browser (Free) and Monitor ($15 annual fee) for the exams. Students should contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) for detailed information on the installation and subscriptions. It is the student’s responsibility to set up, subscribe, and communicate with the OIT, and these are not excuses for late submission. More information is provided below.

Additional Software:

You will need the following additional software: TAMIU Students may access online versions of this software through their Dusty Office 365 account at https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. This site also provides students access to download the Microsoft suite for educational use. See instructions for downloading the Microsoft Office suite. Windows or Mac for computers. Microsoft Office Excel, PowerPoint, and Word programs. Browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Explorer). PDF Reader. Visit https://dusty.tamiu.edu/. To have access to these programs.

Note: Students, if you do not own the required hardware or software or do not have access to the Internet, it will be highly challenging for you to make any progress in this class.  It is the student’s responsibility to make these requirements available, and this is not an excuse for missed or late work. Most of the required materials can be found free of charge at TAMIU’s library, computer labs, and classrooms. Visit Media Services’ web page on the availability of on-campus computer labs. In addition, you may also purchase any of these items at any electronic store.

Learning Management System (Blackboard)

Students are provided with an orientation (*eLearning (Blackboard) Student Orientation*) and access to guides on how to use the Blackboard LMS. Guides may be available at Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services' Student eLearning Tutorial Videos page or by contacting the eLearning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Be sure you can log in to Blackboard and access this class. Please let me know if you cannot do so as soon as possible. Please frequently receive your Dusty email and log in to Blackboard for the latest notifications and class materials.

Minimum Technical Skills Expected

When participating in distance education courses, it is vital to consider the technology involved in order to have a successful course. Students in distance education should have knowledge of basic computer and Internet skills, as mentioned on the Instructional Technology and Distance Education Services’ webpage.

For this course, the required computer skills and digital information literacy are described below:

1. Required Basic Skills: To get access to instructional videos of any of the described areas below, go to your Blackboard main menu, click the Student Resources menu link, and then visit the Course Technologies option. At the bottom, click the option Video Tutorials and search.
   • Getting online
   • Using an Internet browser.
   • Downloading, saving, opening, and printing material found online
   • Conducting Internet searches
   • Composing email and attaching documents.
2. Interact with your colleagues using discussion forums:
   • Posting to a discussion forum. (Blackboard Student Help Link: Threads)
   • https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Student/Interact/Discussions
   • https://help.blackboard.com/Learn/Student/Interact/Discussions/Reply_to_Discussion_Posts
3. Use of Office 365. Basic. To learn the basics of Microsoft Office Products, go to your Blackboard main menu, click the Student Resources menu link, and then visit the Course Technologies option. At the bottom, click the option Office 365.
4. This course requires using a Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor, microphone, and webcam for online exams on only computers with Windows, Macintosh, or Chromebook operating systems. No iPads, tablets, or smartphones are allowed for exams. Watch this video to get a basic understanding of Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor: https://www.respondus.com/products/lockdown-browser/student-movie.shtml

Technical Support Services

Because of the nature of distance education courses, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) computing and information services are vital to the success of online students. This webpage covers contact information for Distance Education Services (Blackboard Support), the OIT Help Desk, and E-mail support: Technical Support Services.

Course Evaluation

At the end of this course, students are encouraged to complete a course evaluation that will be distributed to them via email and through a course link. The instructor openly encourages students to provide feedback in the class processing, emails, or the course evaluation process. This feedback is valuable to the instructor.

Turnitin Policy Or Other Types of Assignments in Other Systems

SafeAssign is a tool used to promote originality and to create opportunities to help students identify how to properly attribute sources rather than paraphrase. It compares submitted assignments against a set of sources to identify areas of overlap between the submitted assignment and existing works. After a paper submission is processed, SafeAssign generates an originality report detailing the percentage of text in the paper that matches existing sources. All files of Reports must pass the SAFE ASSIGN TOOL NO MORE THAN THE SPECIFIED THRESHOLD OF THE SIMILARITY SCORE. Visit the following page if you need to learn more about the Safe Assign Tool: http://www.tamiu.edu/distance/students/elearning-orientation.shtml, or contact the e-learning team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Proctoring

Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor

This course requires the use of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor (with a webcam) for online exams. The webcam can be built into your computer or can be the type that plugs in with a USB cable. Watch this short video to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor (the webcam feature). A student Quick Start Guide (PDF) is also available.

Download Instructions

Click the Student Support top-middle tab located in Blackboard. Scroll down to the Instructional Technologies section, and click on the Respondus LockDown Browser icon. The download is free.

Once Installed

• Open LockDown Browser
• Log into Blackboard Learn
• Navigate to the test and begin

Note: You won’t be able to access tests with a standard web browser. If this is tried, an error message will indicate that the test requires the use of the LockDown Browser. Simply start LockDown Browser and navigate back to the exam to continue.

Cost for Respondus Monitor

There is a $15 fee for the webcam feature that’s used with LockDown Browser (sometimes referred to as Respondus Monitor). This is a one-time fee, valid for 12 months (365 days) for all courses or exams that use Respondus Monitor. You will be prompted to make the purchase the first time an exam requires the use of LockDown Browser’s webcam feature. Payment can be made with PayPal, Visa, or Mastercard.

To pay for Respondus Monitor:

1. Start Respondus LockDown Browser.
2. Navigate to your test.
3. Complete the setup process, including a payment screen for entering credit card information.
4. Payment and entering credit card information is only necessary one-time per course.

Guidelines

When taking an online exam that requires LockDown Browser and a webcam, remember to:

• Select a location where you won’t be interrupted
• Before starting the test, know how much time is available for it, and also that you’ve allotted sufficient time to complete it
• Turn off all other devices (e.g., tablets, phones, second computers)
• Clear your area of all external materials — books, papers, other devices
• Remain at your computer for the duration of the test
• To produce a good webcam video, do the following:

1. Avoid wearing baseball caps or hats with brims
2. Ensure your computer or tablet is on a firm surface (a desk or table) — not on your lap, a bed, or other surfaces that might move
3. If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen after the webcam setup is complete
4. Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window

• LockDown Browser will prevent you from accessing other websites or applications; you will be unable to exit the test until all questions are completed and submitted.

Getting Help

Several resources are available if you encounter problems with LockDown Browser:

• The Windows and Mac versions of the LockDown Browser have a “Help Center” button located on the toolbar. Use the “System & Network Check” to troubleshoot issues.
• If you have problems downloading, installing, or taking a test with Respondus LockDown Browser, email the TAMIU eLearning Team at elearning@tamiu.edu.

Accessibility and Privacy Statements on Course Technologies

At Texas A&M International University, we believe that all students should have equal technology opportunities in the classroom. These technologies/sites may also require user data, such as the creation of a username and password. You may find the accessibility and privacy policies of the technologies used in this class on the following pages: Accessibility Statements and Privacy Statements.

Syllabus Subject to Change

While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and that events beyond the control of the instructor could occur. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus changes.

THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THIS SYLLABUS AS NEEDED AND WITH NOTIFICATION TO STUDENTS